‘Why are you a billionaire?’: Billie Eilish calls out wealthy elites, including Mark Zuckerberg, at WSJ Awards

Pop sensation Billie Eilish made headlines at WSJ Magazine's 2025 Innovator Awards in New York City on Wednesday (October 29) after directly addressing the world's billionaires — including Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg — urging them to use their wealth for good causes.

Stephen Colbert presented the nine-time Grammy winner with the Music Innovator Award, highlighting that Eilish had raised $11.5 million through her "Hit Me Hard" and Soft world tour for organisations tackling food insecurity and climate change.

Taking the stage, Eilish looked across a room filled with some of the world's richest figures — among them Zuckerberg, whose wife Dr Priscilla Chan was also honoured for her philanthropy through the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative (CZI).

"People need empathy and help in our country," Eilish said in her speech, before calling out the ultra-wealthy attendees. "If you have money, it would be great to use it for good things and give it to some people that need it. Love you all, but there's a few people in here that have a lot more money than me. If you are a billionaire, why are you a billionaire?" she asked, adding with a smirk, "No hate, but give your money away, shorties."

The Happier Than Ever singer's donation will go toward her Changemaker Program, supporting organisations focused on environmental and hunger-related issues. Alongside her fundraising efforts, Eilish continues to promote sustainability through her tours — from offering plant-based food options and using biodegradable confetti to producing eco-friendly merchandise.

In a recent interview with WSJ Magazine, she reiterated her frustration with industries ignoring sustainable alternatives, particularly in fashion. "You can literally make all the same things with sustainable materials, and people just aren't doing it," she said.

Eilish has previously criticised wastefulness in the music industry as well, pointing to the trend of artists releasing multiple vinyl editions of the same album. "It's frustrating," she told Billboard last year. "Some of the biggest artists in the world are making 40 different vinyl packages just to get fans to buy more."